tiny, tiny insect that smells awful?
September 5, 2013 5:10 AM Subscribe
smelly teeny bugs living in my computer?
I have been getting these tiny, tiny bugs --not many, but they seem to crawl in and out of my laptop (!!!!) They are really small and I can't get any clear picture. They move quickly but don't seem like they can fly. They are significantly smaller than even a fruit fly.
If I crush them, they REEK. So small but so, so stinky. Google has let me down and only finds stuff about "stink bugs" which are clearly a bigger bug.
What are these?
I have been getting these tiny, tiny bugs --not many, but they seem to crawl in and out of my laptop (!!!!) They are really small and I can't get any clear picture. They move quickly but don't seem like they can fly. They are significantly smaller than even a fruit fly.
If I crush them, they REEK. So small but so, so stinky. Google has let me down and only finds stuff about "stink bugs" which are clearly a bigger bug.
What are these?
Response by poster: location is new england.
I have a camera in the laptop, and many other cameras, but just can't get these guys to hold still to get a photo.
Once they are dead they are just an inkspot, they're so tiny.
Maybe I can get one in a jar into the freezer to kill it without crushing it.
posted by birdseye at 5:45 AM on September 5, 2013
I have a camera in the laptop, and many other cameras, but just can't get these guys to hold still to get a photo.
Once they are dead they are just an inkspot, they're so tiny.
Maybe I can get one in a jar into the freezer to kill it without crushing it.
posted by birdseye at 5:45 AM on September 5, 2013
Do they look like ants? They could be Odorous Ants.
posted by jquinby at 6:22 AM on September 5, 2013
posted by jquinby at 6:22 AM on September 5, 2013
My immediate guess would be dust mites. Very tiny, and eat partially decomposed matter, which might explain the stink when crushed.
posted by RRgal at 6:25 AM on September 5, 2013
posted by RRgal at 6:25 AM on September 5, 2013
I was thinking some sort of mite also. What color are they? Look like any of these?
posted by wondermouse at 6:29 AM on September 5, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by wondermouse at 6:29 AM on September 5, 2013 [2 favorites]
If you have a can of compressed air, flip it over and flash freeze the bug with the propellant. They hold still for photos better that way.
If they're living in the computer, that's not a good thing-- the small amounts of detritus they leave will build up over time, and bugs can murder a computer. Take it outside, open it up, blow it out with compressed air (don't let the fans spin from the airblast), and wipe out any remaining dust using an appropriate electronics cleaner and cotton swabs.
Unfortunately, due to the air-circulation requirements of laptops, there's no good way to prevent them from getting back in there, but chances are their lives are short and seasonal.
posted by Sunburnt at 7:13 AM on September 5, 2013
If they're living in the computer, that's not a good thing-- the small amounts of detritus they leave will build up over time, and bugs can murder a computer. Take it outside, open it up, blow it out with compressed air (don't let the fans spin from the airblast), and wipe out any remaining dust using an appropriate electronics cleaner and cotton swabs.
Unfortunately, due to the air-circulation requirements of laptops, there's no good way to prevent them from getting back in there, but chances are their lives are short and seasonal.
posted by Sunburnt at 7:13 AM on September 5, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by pompomtom at 5:15 AM on September 5, 2013